Letter to the editor: We’d like to offer our thanks to the San Juan Island Community Foundation for their support for the Library’s English Language Learning program. This generous grant means that adult immigrants studying English have workbooks in which to write exercises. More importantly, the grant from the Foundation means that while they are  Continue Reading

Jaclyn Domenech shares this announcement with you… On March 15th, many local high school students are participating in the global Youth Climate Strike to protest climate change inaction. The students are walking out of school to demand change and bring attention to the need for government action on climate change prevention. Carbon emissions have put  Continue Reading

John Miller shares this photo he shot Wednesday of an eagle perched on top of Cattle Point Lighthouse. Pretty cool – Thanks for sharing John!

Meet Jenny Harris of Catkin Design. Jenny has recently started a new garden design and consulting business here in Friday Harbor. “Catkin is a new iteration of my horticultural life” she says. Originally called appropriate horticulture, what Jenny does is now called Ecological Design – a self sustaining kind of garden design that is supportive of  Continue Reading

“The fate of poetry is to fall in love with the world” ~Poet and playwright, Derek Walcott Some call poetry the caviar of literature. Others call it nitroglycerin: intense, powerful, explosive. This spring, join poet Jill McCabe Johnson and fall in love with the world of poetry. Jill will guide the class in an exploration  Continue Reading

The San Juan County Land Bank and San Juan Preservation Trust invite you to welcome spring with a 5 mile “Up and Over” hike of Turtleback Mountain Preserve!   We will depart promptly at 1pm from the South Trailhead parking area (Deer Harbor Road/Wild Rose Lane) on board a Camp Orkila bus to the North  Continue Reading

EDC to Offer Free Low Voltage/Fiber Optic Training at Friday Harbor High School The San Juan County Economic Development Council (EDC) is partnering with Rock Island to offer free training in low voltage wiring and fiber optic installation at Friday Harbor High School this April.  This latest class in the EDC’s Trades Education Initiative is  Continue Reading

Local Student Named National Geographic GeoBee Washington State Competition Semifinalist by National Geographic Society Student’s Name: Henry Jensen School Name and Address: Friday Harbor Elementary School Grade Level: 5th The above-named student has been notified by the National Geographic Society that he is one of the semifinalists eligible to compete in the 2019 National Geographic  Continue Reading

The San Juan Island Fire and Rescue Department is proud to announce the March 2019 Firefighter of the Month. Firefighter Brien Sesby was selected Firefighter of the Month due to his commitment to clear access at the Mullis Street fire station during the big February snow storm. Having clear and safe routes for emergency equipment  Continue Reading

  Study ballet and contemporary dance with Jeanne Peihl at Salish Sea Ballet during Spring Break! Dancers will work on learning and improving dance technique, creating choreography, and producing a short performance for end of camp. Please bring socks or ballet slippers, a snack, and water bottle. This camp, for ages 8-12, runs from 1:30-4pm,  Continue Reading

The San Juan County Department of Emergency Management and Economic Development Council are teaming up to present a training on Disaster Preparedness for Small Businesses. This concise class will provide basic information about the risks to the islands, and will offer some simple tools and approaches to help businesses prepare. Tuesday, March 26th: 8:30am –  Continue Reading

In the SJ Update mailbag today we find this letter from Kyle Wall, a Senior Account Executive with the Seattle based public relations firm The Fearey Group, sharing this statement from the Pacific Whale Watch Association on the passing of HB 1580 in the Washington State House and SB 5577 in the Senate… “We have  Continue Reading

There will be a Port Commission Meeting at 271 Front Street ( that’s the Port meeting room, under San Juan Yacht Club) today – Wednesday, March 13th, at 4:00 pm. Click here to see the Meeting Agenda

Local health coach and Qigong instructor Stephanie Prima is featured in the current top-selling health book in the country, ‘31-Day Food Revolution,’ written by Ocean Robbins, founder of the Food Revolution Network (FRN). The book is an impeccably researched yet charmingly accessible guide to using nutrient-dense foods to leverage greater health for you while also  Continue Reading

After many months of planning and testing, the SJI Community Foundation is excited to unveil its brand-new website. The completely redesigned site is thoughtfully presented to help donors, nonprofits and students easily access the many services provided by the Foundation, including grants, fund management and scholarships. The site features fillable forms, links to vital resources  Continue Reading

Are you looking for a way to serve your community? San Juan County Elections is looking for persons with disabilities, and providers of services to persons with disabilities, to serve on the Disability Advisory Committee.  Washington State Law requires every county to have a Disability Advisory Committee. The committee must include persons with disabilities, and  Continue Reading

Skagit Valley College Marine Maintenance Technology program receives Evinrude outboard engine  Evinrude’s donation of $2 million in engines to the American Boat and Yacht Council Foundation will help train the next generation of Marine Technicians The Skagit Valley College Marine Maintenance Technology program is pleased to announce that it has received a new outboard engine  Continue Reading

In the mailbag this morning here’s a letter from Sally Spicer of OrcaSong Farm on Orcas Island… I am writing this letter to beg the San Juan County Land Bank to invest the funds necessary to save the San Juan County agricultural institution that is Coffelt Farm. Only with the Land Bank’s help can we  Continue Reading

Ted Strutz shares this photo of the winners of last week’s Rotary Spelling Bee… I thought you might like to have a photo from the spelling bee that the Rotary Club conducted. Here is winner Eve Hulse and runner-up Haley Rennick (in the middle) and their teacher Mrs Hallock of the Paideia Classical School. They  Continue Reading

Debbi Fincher of the San Juan Island Prevention Coalition and Rock Solid Team Advisor shares this report with you… Rock Solid Youth Prevention Team represented the San Juan Island Prevention Coalition and our community at the annual Prevention Policy Day in Olympia this February. This advocacy effort is organized by the Washington Association for Substance  Continue Reading

Local long-time attorney Mary Stone is pleased to announce her firm is expanding with the addition of her new law partner, Robert Bulloch. The firm will now be known as Stone & Bulloch, P.S. “Bob brings over 20 years of legal experience as a litigator and trial attorney along with extensive experience serving clients in  Continue Reading

There’s a Third Saturday Contra Dance coming up on Saturday… WHERE-Grange Hall in Friday Harbor WHEN-Saturday March 16th, 7 till 9 PM PRICE-$10 donation at the door, $5 students This month our caller is Amy Carroll, and our band is Forrest Carroll and Friends. Amy and Forrest have been here for our dances several times,  Continue Reading